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Accepting Zero in the Ultimatum Game: Selfish Nash Response?

Author

Listed:
  • Gianandrea Staffiero

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Department of Economics and Business)

  • Filippos Exadaktylos

    (BELIS, Murat Sertel Center for Advanced Economic Studies, Istanbul Bilgi University)

  • Antonio M. Espín

    (Department of Economic Theory and Economic History, University of Granada.)

Abstract

The study shows that subjects who set their minimum acceptable offer equal to zero in an ultimatum game (UG) are the most generous dictators in a dictator game. The finding implies that interpreting indiscriminately the acceptance of low UG offers as payoff maximization can be misleading and suggests that altruism and/or the desire to maximize welfare are to a large extent behind.

Suggested Citation

  • Gianandrea Staffiero & Filippos Exadaktylos & Antonio M. Espín, 2013. "Accepting Zero in the Ultimatum Game: Selfish Nash Response?," ThE Papers 13/01, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    • Handle: RePEc:gra:wpaper:13/01
    as

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    File URL: http://www.ugr.es/~teoriahe/RePEc/gra/wpaper/thepapers13_01.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ultimatum game; dictator game; altruism; social welfare; costly punishment; selfishness; social preferences.;
    All these keywords.

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